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off the charts

POLICY INSIGHT
BEYOND THE NUMBERS

This week at CBPP, we focused on COVID-19, the economy, immigration, and health.

On COVID-19, Michael Leachman explained that red and blue states alike need more federal support. Leachman also noted that contrary to arguments, states need more federal relief. Aviva Aron-Dine, Jessica Schubel, Judith Solomon, Matt Broaddus, and Kyle Hayes explained that larger, longer-lasting increases in federal Medicaid funding are needed to protect coverage. Schubel pointed out how states are leveraging Medicaid to respond to COVID-19. Chye-Ching Huang, Chad Stone, Katie Windham, and Jenifer Beltrán put the size of the needed COVID-19 fiscal response in perspective. Chuck Marr, Samantha Jacoby, Huang, Stephanie Hingtgen, Arloc Sherman, and Beltrán argued that future stimulus payments should include immigrants and dependents who were previously left out, and mandate automatic payments. Marr, Hingtgen, Sherman, and Windham explained that temporarily expanding the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit would deliver effective stimulus and help avert a spike in poverty.
Brynne Keith-Jennings documented Puerto Rico’s need for additional food aid to respond to COVID-19. Javier Balmaceda stressed that Puerto Rico needs more than just COVID-19 relief to overcome its crises. LaDonna Pavetti pointed out that a state emergency assistance fund could help families facing significant challenges avoid increased hardship. Ife Floyd urged policymakers to protect and bolster TANF cash assistance amid the state fiscal crisis and rising need. Jennifer Wagner described how states can make Medicaid and SNAP applications more accessible during the COVID-19 crisis. We updated our state budget watch series tracking state revenue shortfalls. We also updated our fact sheet finding that most states are using new flexibility in SNAP (food stamps) to respond to COVID-19 challenges.
On the economy, we updated our backgrounder on how many weeks of unemployment compensation are available and our chart book tracking the post-Great Recession economy.
On immigration, Shelby Gonzales urged the Administration to reverse anti-immigrant policies that will worsen the impacts of the health and economic crises.
On health, we updated our Sabotage Watch tracking the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine the ACA.